A lot of people know I'm hesitant and fairly cynical when it comes to religion- I'd rather look to science for answers than to faith. I don't know if its how I was brought up, or how I learned to respond to years of "Hey do you want to go to Church/Youth group with me? It will be fun" and then hours of awkwardness.
This was recently posted on my facebook by a friend:
Quite a few friends posted that the world would in fact be better without Islam because of the horrors of 9/11. I was shocked and offended by this idea!
Its my personal opinion that the world would be better if faith was used as a tool of personal betterment and not as a tool to hurt or ostracize others. If faith was a completely personal thing and it was agreed that no one's faith was better than anyone elses.
I've grown up in a post 9/11 era and have seen the Islamic community ostracized by the acts of a few radical members.
But what about Anders Behring Breivik? A fundamentalist Christian who went on to murder 80 innocent people Norway this summer.
Do we now ostracize the Christian community for the actions of Breivik?
No.
It cannot be said for sure that 9/11 or the Norway massacres would never have occurred if there was no religion, but they were both religiously fueled.
People will always hate each other for meaningless reasons, and religion seems to be a key component of it in our world right now. Rights of gays to marry (why hate someone for who they love?!), abortion, and even the curriculum in public schools are all effected by religion in public policy that are meant to create an "our way or no way" idealism.
Muslims and Christians worship the same God/Allah. Yet, what is it that causes them to fight? I honestly have yet to find a rational reason behind this.
I love it when I meet people who are happy and comfortable with their lives and their faith. If you're happy, I will never say anything against it as long as no one is being injured because of it.
I, for one, love my life without religion. My moral compass is simple, "Do the right thing". I follow my gut, and let others live.
This was recently posted on my facebook by a friend:
Quite a few friends posted that the world would in fact be better without Islam because of the horrors of 9/11. I was shocked and offended by this idea!
Its my personal opinion that the world would be better if faith was used as a tool of personal betterment and not as a tool to hurt or ostracize others. If faith was a completely personal thing and it was agreed that no one's faith was better than anyone elses.
I've grown up in a post 9/11 era and have seen the Islamic community ostracized by the acts of a few radical members.
But what about Anders Behring Breivik? A fundamentalist Christian who went on to murder 80 innocent people Norway this summer.
Do we now ostracize the Christian community for the actions of Breivik?
No.
It cannot be said for sure that 9/11 or the Norway massacres would never have occurred if there was no religion, but they were both religiously fueled.
People will always hate each other for meaningless reasons, and religion seems to be a key component of it in our world right now. Rights of gays to marry (why hate someone for who they love?!), abortion, and even the curriculum in public schools are all effected by religion in public policy that are meant to create an "our way or no way" idealism.
Muslims and Christians worship the same God/Allah. Yet, what is it that causes them to fight? I honestly have yet to find a rational reason behind this.
I love it when I meet people who are happy and comfortable with their lives and their faith. If you're happy, I will never say anything against it as long as no one is being injured because of it.
I, for one, love my life without religion. My moral compass is simple, "Do the right thing". I follow my gut, and let others live.
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